Jonathan Hickman’s work on the “FF” series has been some of the best in the industry and issue #4 is no different. This is part one of “The War of Four Cities” and the groundwork is laid for a really compelling story arc.

Hickman nails the characters. I love his interpretation of the Richards’ family dynamic especially in light of the death of Johnny and the upcoming war. His inclusion of some great villians such as the Wizard and Diablo works great and overall he succeeds in building up the threat to be pretty large scale.

Steve Epting has done a tremendous job on this book so I was a little dissappointed when I heard he wasn’t drawing this issue. To my surprise, Barry Kitson’s pencils mixed with Paul Mounts’ colors look fantastic. I love the fact that they didn’t bring in someone with an art style lacking any similarity to Epting’s. Kitson’s work is sharp and detailed and keeps the steady consistency that I’ve loved throughout this title.

“FF” #4 is a nice issue that launches into The War of Four Cities. Hickman seems to have a clear vision with this book and I can’t wait to see where he’s going.